flinging shadows

remnants of the sun — Goddard strikes the first blow         leaves tumble… tonight Cloke marking everything           floodlights flinging shadows — a hurried snap for goal         sharp cold — late goals before the long break bite the Saints         autumn [Read more]

the shudder of bones

autumn rain — Pendlebury slips into the stream when I crack my knuckles     our first goal chilly MCG — empty seats but not too much to be quiet about mist blunt air head down Ball hammers into the shudder of bones the sun has gone off somewhere but here’s Daisy! dusk presents itself Cloke [Read more]

blushing leaves

scattered leaves — none of our players where they were named closed roof — a lull overhangs our rustiness one miss from close in then two, then three… — blushing leaves wind-lashed trees — goals from turnovers pile up Wellingham crumbs — bodies swirl in his wake closed roof — all eyes on Daisy’s torp [Read more]

every good move

fallen leaves the ground they cover chasing Joel Selwood just like old times every good move contains Buckley rain holding off the forwards can’t get near it chilled to the bone the felled player motionless cloud blocked moon — a good chance the ball is where Selwood is entering time on a goal down — [Read more]

Haiku Bob Rd 6: clear moments after

wet afternoon the football used as a lure Johnno subbed off the game loses a little right-side brain sprinting in the clear then on meeting Luke Ball stopped wind-tossed rain a perfect pass by mistake moon strains through clouds a goal clear moments after watering my dead plant Leeroy explodes to life the rain lighter [Read more]

Haiku Bob- Rd 5: various shades

red leaves the Bombers hold on but soon fall away opening skirmishes sun ripples across  the ‘G Anzac Day – the shadows of the players brush the crowd in my new country watching Collingwood feels new bright afternoon the extra edge in our play autumn colours goals of various shades the moon about to appear a [Read more]

Haiku Bob Rd 4: last of the snow

It’s fair to say I’m a little confused. Not (just) because I’m on the other side of the world while my beloved Pies enjoy their most purple of purple of patches in living memory! As a haiku poet, I’m a captive of nature and the cycle of the seasons. It’s as it should be. Part [Read more]

Haiku Bob- Round 3: the height of the moon

old rivals – the crowd’s roar tossed on the breeze the club legend retired now who won nothing but their hearts* moon and stars – the rovers await Jolly’s tap pockets of snow soon will vanish – Blues purple patch up the ground and back again Swan’s shadow admiring the height of the moon – [Read more]

haiku bob – the far corners

spreading butter to the far corners of my toast Swan everywhere bright sun Pendlebury’s smoothness across every blade the crowd awakened by Didak’s first autumn gust the midfield changes direction sun slips through clouds Krakouer snaps one over his shoulder low sun Swan jabs one into the pocket autumn clarity thinking the unthinkable

Haiku Bob- the twirling sherrin

footy season begins all the teams freshly tattooed first game of the year – Ball tackles without hesitation umpire’s whistle – side by side fingers point together crisp autumn shadows – they answer each one of our goals feeling closer to home – Cloke shanks one sun slips through clouds Pendlebury finds himself on the [Read more]

Haiku Bob- Premiership Edition: earth and the times

last Saturday in September the sun beaten to a pulp grand final replay – the washing still hanging over my thoughts the chorus of magpies warm spring sun the Colliwobbles fade the earth and the times turned by his feet – Heater’s smother October sun Ball soaks up some heat between goals the coach wears [Read more]

Haiku Bob: grand final draw – nowhere to be seen

September morning – a magpie’s song pierces my brain Spring clouds – the teams gather in their huddles first warm day players clutching and spilling a hot ball blood pouring from the full-back’s nose – spring heat glare of the sun – the path to goal nowhere to be seen Spring breeze – Davis goals [Read more]

A Tiding of Magpies and an Interloper Farewell Haiku Bob

by Peter Flynn It is early Saturday night not long after sunset. I saunter down Gertrude Street listening to Port versus Hawthorn. Bizarrely, I find myself barracking furiously for Port Adelaide. It’s funny who you can end up supporting in neutral sporting contests. Each Port pack mark in front of goal evokes a well-concealed short [Read more]

Haiku Bob: round 16 – fingers of sun

Saints get the first – Magpies and seagulls form huddles blustery day – Swan’s first half dozen to collect his thoughts noon chill – players dropping marks I blow into my hands winter echoes – Heater’s mark again on the big screen stop start wind – forwards turn defenders turn forwards long winter – Leigh [Read more]

Haiku Bob: round 15 – holes in the night

first quarter gloom Swan weaves light through the darkness the wind pierces my body another goal behind the cold – Ball lays another tackle to keep warm icy wind the pack splinters in Didaks’ wake Swan’s thirty-nine touches no two the same non-scoring end a gull turns its head on play by hand or foot [Read more]

round 14 – one touch at a time

the night drifts along until Didak another night punctuated by Harry’s stampedes Jolly sidesteps the night all to himself first goal in an hour followed by another a minute later World Cup month and now Daisy tries a scissor kick night sounds a smother ricochets off the roof Swan up the ground and back one [Read more]

Haiku Bob: round 13 – moon at every turn

magpies darting here and there the moon at every turn beneath exploding pinks and blues Harry’s bursting run bitter night Ball bundles his catch full moon – we have their forwards surrounded Toovey arrives at a moment unafraid of his limitations brief eclipse – Didak shakes his shadow loose full moon Beams in space winter [Read more]

haiku bob: what’s left of the light

winter dusk… the pleasant gloom of a drawn game the cold – not enough on the kick blustery wind – Leon switches on and off deep winter – Fraser’s dropped mark takes us deeper bare stems – our brittle lead grows by a point another behind leaves me chuckling in the chill air deep in [Read more]

Haiku Bob, Round 11- the short road

onset of winter – the game begins with brisk movements still life – Fraser stands the mark a nip in the air – taking the short road to goal a gull glides from the rafters – Leon curls one in cold winter night the ruckmen lock arms watching closely but not understanding the umpires winter [Read more]

Haiku World Cup

In less than a week, South Africa plays host to The Greatest Show on Earth when the World Cup kicks off in Johannesburg. Pretty soon, the Knackery will be full of punditry and prognostication on the fortunes of the Socceroos as they take on the world’s best. To celebrate, a panel of experts (actually, a [Read more]